Therapists and Dogs

A couple years ago, Madison psychotherapist Amy Collins told me people spend 2-3 times as much time on website if it has dogs on the homepage. Really? Because dogs? I was incredulous at first, but she went on to explain how she had done her Ph.D. research studying how and why therapy website works (or don't). One of her discoveries was this dog-loving thing... just feature a dog on your website, and as if by magic - BOOM - folks stick around longer. This concept seems too simple to keep secret.

Amy features her big German Shepard on her website homepage, and at client request, will bring him in to hang out during therapy sessions. That’s pretty cool.

Rhonda Reinholz and her cute pooch.

I was shooting headshots with Rhonda Reinholz, a Madison therapist on the near west side, and we made sure to include some shots with her adorable Standard Poodle. I don't think she's going to feature her dog on her website, nor does she offer animal-assisted therapy, but at least she'll have the option available in case things get slow sometime.

Ben Heinrichs was a Madison psychotherapist with Westside Psychotherapy, and now owns his own practice, Breakwater Psychotherapy, with his wife, Rachel, in Delray Beach, FL. We snuck his dog, Dr. Theodore McTubbins, into his photo shoot when nobody was looking. That’s one cute dog! And Ben has nice socks.

Breakfast Morning Portrait Session - Monona Bay, Madison, WI

Michal's mom had been asking her to please, please, please take some updated photos of her and Gavin, since her most recent ones were from their wedding a decade ago (or something like that). So Michal finally relented to stay in Mom's good graces. We talked about where to shoot and settled on a breakfast shoot at their place (though a cyclo-cross shoot was also considered). Done deal.

Michal actually didn't know how to cook eggs, which was awesome. Everyone should maintain a few basic things you don't know how to do, because it makes for great photos when someone teaches you. This is why I still don't know how to ice skate.

After breakfast, we walked out to the barely-frozen Monona Bay. I often walk the rails over the land bridge here early in the morning, it's a great place for capitol views, or to see folks on the lake. The trestle bridges are old and tastefully unimproved, always a nice contrast against a couple beautiful people.

Winter Family Portraits in Muscoda, Wisconsin

Went out to Muscoda again this year to photograph this crew, less all the relatives and plus a new little brother. They have this perfect little getaway cabin, tucked up in the hills, full of splendid winter sunshine and warmth. And if you can manage to break away from the coziness, there is a beautiful forest with big oaks and lots of trail to stomp around in. And you get to do it all with Darwin the dog, who I simply adore. Lucky guy, I am.

New Digs, New Dog

It's pretty exciting to find a home that fits you just right, and Karen and Adam found their place last year after a long search. They followed up their move-in with a new addition to the family, an adorable, regal Bassett hound named Fannie, who pulls off some downright wilting looks with the grace of a queen. We hung out at the homestead for while while Fannie held court, then dashed off to a few local parks to catch the evening light.

Karen, whose sense of style far surpasses mine, loved the black and white images from the shoot and is evolving a gallery of them for a long hallway in her house. I thought I'd do a post in black and white only, in honor of our shared love of simple, classic monotone presentation.